Bullz-Eye Blog » Linus Roachehttp://blog.bullz-eye.com
men's lifestyle blog, blog for guysFri, 09 Dec 2016 14:00:02 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.10The Light from the TV Shows: Pilot Season Ahoy!http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2012/03/14/the-light-from-the-tv-shows-pilot-season-ahoy/
http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2012/03/14/the-light-from-the-tv-shows-pilot-season-ahoy/#commentsThu, 15 Mar 2012 04:07:23 +0000http://blog.bullz-eye.com/?p=10693It’s a sure sign that spring is on the verge of emerging when the networks start to let slip the names, premises, and attached actors for all of the pilots under consideration for the next TV season. Most of these pilots go nowhere, which is the way the cookie has always crumbled, but a few lucky programs end up getting the go-ahead for a series commitment. I don’t claim to have any real idea how the networks think – as a critic, it’s pretty much a given that I never know what the networks are thinking (and, in turn, they don’t care what I’m thinking) – but that doesn’t mean I’m afraid to give my thoughts on 15 of the pilots that I’d like to see come to fruition and join the fall schedules of their respective networks. You can check out a much fuller list from The Hollywood Reporter by clicking here, but in the meantime, here’s the stuff that I’m hoping to be TiVo’ing in a few months’ time….

1. Gilded Lilys (ABC)

It’s been quite awhile since a broadcast network has managed to sell viewers on a period piece set prior to the 20th century, so the fact that ABC is even considering this series, which takes place in 1895 and revolves around the first luxury hotel in New York, is proof of how much pull executive producer Shonda Rhimes has with the American Broadcasting Company. In truth, the big selling point for me is John Barrowman. This doesn’t exactly bode well for another season of “Torchwood,” but the dude deserves a big U.S. break. You never know: this could be it.

2. Untitled Louis C.K. / Spike Feresten Comedy (CBS)

Go on, admit it: you were sold the moment you saw the name “Louis C.K.,” weren’t you? And Spike Feresten isn’t bad, either. Seeing these two guys attached to this project is the only reason why it stands out, since the only real description available is that it’s an an ensemble comedy about a bunch of twentysomethings trying to make their dreams come true despite today’s crappy financial climate. But, damn, after two seasons of “Louie,” the idea of Louis C.K. putting his spin on anything makes it something that’ll surely be worth seeing. With that said, however, I hope Dan Byrd ends up not being available to do the show, as that will mean that “Cougar Town” has been renewed.

3. Animal Kingdom (NBC)

Two words: Tyler Labine. I mean, come on, America, what more does this loveable teddy bear of a comedy actor have to do to get a show to stay on the air for more than a season or two? NBC is, if memory serves, the last of the broadcast networks that has yet to cancel a series out from under Mr. Labine – “Invasion” was on ABC, “Reaper” was on The CW, “Sons of Tucson” was on Fox, and “Mad Love” was on CBS – and, frankly, this could be his last stop before the autograph-show circuit. Doesn’t Tyler Labine deserve a better fate than that? You’re damned right he does.

4. Untitled Kevin Williamson serial killer drama (Fox)

The man behind “The Vampire Diaries” brings Kevin Bacon to the small screen to play Ryan Hardy, a former FBI agent on the hunt for serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), who’s busy building himself a whole cult full of serial killers. If that isn’t enough to sell you, the cast also features Natalie Zea (“Justified”).

5. Joey Dakota (The CW)

Okay, I don’t know what to make of this show, which is apparently an American adaptation of an Israeli series called “Danny Hollywood,” but they had me at the phrase “romantic time-travel musical,” and they kept me when they revealed that it was about a documentary filmmaker who somehow time-travels to the ’90s, falls in love with the rock star she’s been making a film about, and, upon being thrust back to the present, struggles to find a way to get back to the past and save the rock star’s life. The only person I know in the cast is Amber Stevens (“Greek”), but it’s produced by Mark Harmon, whose nephews have more than a bit of passing familiarity with the ’90s rock scene. (They’re Gunnar and Matthew Nelson, you know). Also, the pilot is directed by Allan Arkush, who always managed to make “Heroes” look good no matter how crappy the material may have been.

6. Elementary (CBS)

I’m the first to admit that the world desperately does not need another incarnation of Sherlock Holmes, especially given that we’ve already got a movie franchise and a perfectly good British TV series inspired by the Holmes mythos. But what can I say? Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu as Holmes and Watson is just ridiculous enough for me to watch to tune in. Not necessarily because I think it’ll be any good, you understand, but the curiosity factor alone is off the charts. Plus, Aidan Quinn is in it, and he usually does good work.

7. Untitled Roland Emmerich Drama (ABC)

Anything with Roland Emmerich’s name on it has got my attention immediately, particularly when it involves a grad student being selected to fight the forces of evil. But knowing that Martin Landau and Linus Roache are in the mix…? Sold. And then some.

8. American Judy (ABC)

Judy Greer isn’t quite the female equivalent of Tyler Labine (although she certainly didn’t help her cause any by co-starring with him on “Mad Love”), but suffice it to say that she’s at least as deserving of a successful series. This one might have a terrible title, but it co-stars the always funny Ken Marino, along with Mimi Kennedy and the ever-hot Elaine Hendrix. With that talent, does it even matter what it’s about? Well, just in case it does, Greer plays a city girl who gets married, moves to the suburbs with her new husband (who’s the sheriff), and learns to deal with her stepkids, mother-in-law, and her husband’s ex-wife.

9. Untitled Ralph Lamb (CBS)

Another period piece, but this one only steps back to the 1960s. Based on the true story of Ralph Lamb, a former rodeo cowboy who became the sheriff of Las Vegas, it comes courtesy of Nicholas Pileggi (“Goodfellas,” “Casino”), and the cast features Dennis Quaid, Michael Chiklis, and Carrie-Anne Moss. I hope to hell it’s good, because if it isn’t, that’s a lot of talent gone to waste.

10. Downwardly Mobile (NBC)

Unless it turns out to be really, really, really unfunny, I cannot conceive of a way that NBC won’t pick up a sitcom that reunites Roseanne Barr and John Goodman, especially when Roseanne is playing the owner of a mobile home park.

11. Like Father (Fox)

I’ve got Bill Lawrence’s back on just about anything that comes down the pike with his name on it, and that includes “Like Father,” which stars Colin Ferguson and is inspired by the relationship between Lawrence and his own father. Here’s hoping he’s buried in work and has to deal with this show being picked up and “Cougar Town” getting renewed. (A guy can dream, can’t he?)

12. Devious Maids (ABC)

I know better than to approach this as anything other than the eventual guilty pleasure that it will prove to be, but putting Marc Cherry (“Desperate Housewives”) at the helm of a show about four maids in Beverly Hills who work for the famous while trying to make their own dreams come true…? That just seems like a match made in heaven. Throw in Susan Lucci, and just step back and watch the fireworks.

13. Susan 313 (NBC)

It stars Sarah Silverman, features Jeff Goldblum playing her dad, and is executive produced by Ron Howard and Brian Glazer. You just know it’s going to end up being too hip for the room, but how can I not be excited about the prospect of seeing such a thing?

14. Last Resort (ABC)

Okay, this just sounds way too crazy for me to not want to see it come to fruition: per The Hollywood Reporter, the show centers on the crew of a U.S. nuclear submarine who, after ignoring an order to fire nuclear missiles, wind up being hunted and escape to a NATO outpost where they declare themselves to be the world’s smallest nuclear nation. It stars Scott Speedman and Andre Braugher and, in recurring roles, Bruce Davison and Robert Patrick. There’s no way it’ll get the green light. It just sounds way too interesting.

15. The Frontier (NBC)

Might as well bookend things with another period piece set in the 1800s, this time focusing on a group of settlers heading west, but this one particularly grabs my attention, as it comes from the mind of Shaun Cassidy, who – at least in my estimation – has yet to attach his name to any TV series that hasn’t at least proven interesting. Clancy Brown is in the cast, which is always a plus in my book, and so is Ethan Embry, who I’ve liked for as long as I can remember.

]]>http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2012/03/14/the-light-from-the-tv-shows-pilot-season-ahoy/feed/1The Light from the TV Shows: The Current State of “Law & Order”http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2011/11/02/the-light-from-the-tv-shows-the-current-state-of-law-order/
http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2011/11/02/the-light-from-the-tv-shows-the-current-state-of-law-order/#commentsThu, 03 Nov 2011 02:22:13 +0000http://blog.bullz-eye.com/?p=6420Is it me, or does it feel inherently wrong that there’s only one “Law & Order” series on the air at the moment?

I’m not saying that it hasn’t been completely and totally warranted to make fun of how many members of the franchise there have been over the years. In addition to the so-called mothership, “Law & Order,” you’ve had “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Law & Order: Trial by Jury,” and “Law & Order: Los Angeles.” Oh, and lest we forget, there was also “Conviction,” which – although it didn’t feature the words “Law & Order” in front of its title, was a spin-off featuring the character of Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March) as a Bureau Chief Executive ADA supervising the newest crop of ADAs.

I admit it: that’s a hell of a lot of “Law & Order.” But, dammit, I like “Law & Order.” Even if I’ve never liked the various spin-offs quite as much as the mothership, all of the series still served as TV comfort food, each just different enough from the other to make me happy. All things being equal, I can’t complain that the one “L&O” series left is “SVU,” as that’s the one that’s often been on the verge of overtaking the original series as my favorite, but now that there’s no Stabler, even “SVU” feels…dare I say it?…a little unstable.

Thank heavens, then, that the series has decided to delve into its universe of characters and bring back one from the mothership: Michael Cutter, played by Linus Roache. The relationship between Roache and Sam Waterson on the original series was great, but in his return to the franchise, we’re now going to see Cutter standing on his own, getting to be the big shot this time around. Also turning up on the series is another actor who recently his full-time gig go under: Andre Braugher, late of “Men of a Certain Age.” If you’re a real diehard “L&O” fan, you may remember that Braugher once turned up on the original series, but…well, I’ll let him remind you about it.

Bullz-Eye: Well, Linus, it’s good to have you back in the “Law & Order” family, and Andre, it’s nice to see you as part of it…although, technically speaking, this will be the second time you’ve made your way into the “Law & Order” universe.

Andre Braugher: Yeah, you know, I think it was maybe 1996 that we did a “Homicide” / “Law & Order” crossover with the mothership show. 15 years ago! I was Frank Pembleton then, and I’m Bayard Ellis now, but there’s a cute little piece at the very beginning of this episode where Munch comes up and introduces himself to Bayard Ellis, basically to say, “I like your second act. Where do I know you from?” So there’s a little bit of a gag there, just to acknowledge the fact that we’re talking about the same world, but I’m playing a different character.

BE: Is it nice to get to work with Belzer again?

AB: It is! I guess I met Belzer at the very beginning of his television career – 1992? – when he transitioned from being a stand-up comedian to being a television star, and, y’know, he’s still doing great work. He’s a fantastic gentleman, and it’s been my pleasure to watch him grow up on television all these years. So, yeah, it’s good to see him again.

BE: Linus, when the mothership ended, were you given the impression that they were going to find a way to bring Michael Cutter back as quickly as possible?

Linus Roache: No, not at all. You know, I was sad when the mothership ended – none of us quite expected it – and I thought, “Well, maybe Cutter might fly out to L.A. to try and pursue Rubirosa,” or something like that. [Laughs.] But, no, it was a nice surprise when the offer came through to bring Cutter back and evolve the character so I’m carrying a whole new load of responsibilities. So it’s been a pleasant surprise and a lot of fun to do.

BE: Was it easy to step back into Michael’s shoes again?

LR: Well, yeah, it was. When you’ve worked on something for that length of time, it’s great to develop something over that period. It was a little like being an old dog in a new area, because obviously the SVU team have been together for quite a while, but they’ve just been fantastic. They’re a great group, a great bunch of actors, so I felt very welcomed, and it was kind of easy to go in. But I’d just say that it was nice to come back to being Michael Cutter, but I’m not the same renegade guy that I was before, because I’ve got this new position as bureau chief and having to carry some of the political responsibility that Sam’s character was carrying when I was sort of shouting at him all the time, saying, “Set me loose, let me do what I want to do!” [Laughs.] So it’s been nice to come back with that little bit of an edge to what I’m doing.

BE: How much do the two of you get to play off each other within the show?

AB: We only get a chance to meet in the courtroom, and consequently our behavior is very much subdued because of that. It’s all about the legal arguments. But it’s pretty clear during the course of the episodes that the first thing on Ellis’s part is the desire to make sure that what happens is what’s just. I would imagine – I won’t speak for you, Linus, but I’d guess for both of us that it’s an attempt to protect what we feel is important. And for me, it’s my defendants.

LR: For us…from the point of view of the prosecution, this all seems like a slam dunk from the beginning, because we find the perp straight away, and we think, “Well, this is pretty straightforward.” And then Andre walks in and says, “This is not going to be straightforward. We’ve got to dot those I’s and cross the T’s and really make sure we’ve done a thorough job. I didn’t realize how interesting this episode was going to be until we started doing it, because, really, you’ve got two truth-seekers coming from different angles. One’s testing the system, and one’s looking after the victim, and both are important. So I think, in the usual “Law & Order” style, it’s going to leave the audience to decide, “Well, who’s right and who’s wrong, and where do we stand in this whole situation?”

BE: You’ve both been on series that didn’t live as long as I thought they should have. Andre, you’ve actually been on a couple of them: not only were you on “Men of a Certain Age,” but you were also on “Thief “as well.

AB: I have a reputation for joining critically acclaimed, low-rated shows that are canceled early. [Laughs.] I don’t know, I’ve always been attracted to a different type of storytelling. I thought “Thief” was something extraordinary, not so much a heist picture but, really, sort of a reconciliation between a father and his daughter. And “Men of a Certain Age,” I’ve never seen anything quite like it on television, but…you know, my bread and butter has always been these kinds of procedurals. I mean, I spent seven years on “Homicide,” and it’s been 15 years since I’ve done another procedural, but it’s in your blood after awhile. So I think I understand that kind of storytelling, I think that Warren Leight and the other producers on “SVU” have confidence that I can help them to tell the story. So this is a good place to be, and I enjoy working on this show. The storytelling is superb, so I’m pretty pleased to be a part of it.

BE: And, Linus, even though I know it opened up the world of “Law & Order” for you, I’m still disappointed that “Kidnapped” didn’t last any longer than it did.

LR: Yeah, everybody was disappointed about “Kidnapped.” [Laughs.] You know, that was a great show, a great idea, and really well done. But there you go: this is television, and it’s what happens. Sometimes great shows don’t make it. But it was great to do. I’ve been so blessed, as Andre was saying, to be involved in good storytelling. That’s really everything you’re looking for as an actor on television, and that’s why I appreciate the “Law & Order” franchise. You know, every time I get a script, I get excited by the problems it’s dealing with. It’s current, it’s relevant, and it makes it very engaging to do. If I can get paid to do stuff like that, I’m a happy guy.